ACHPR Focal Point on the Study on Human and Peoples’ Rights and AI, Robotics, and other new technologies convening Consultation Meeting on the Study in Kigali

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Focal Point on the Study of human and peoples’ rights and Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, and other new and emerging technologies in Africa (the Study), Honourable Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso, will convene Consultation Meeting on the draft study in Kigali, Rwanda from 30th September to 1st October 2024.

The Consultation meeting is convened under Resolution ACHPR/RES. 473 (EXT.OS/ XXXI) 2021 as a follow to the expert validation meeting convened from 2 to 4 May 2024, in Nairobi, Kenya where the initial draft of the Study was presented for review by the agreed methodology, scope, and institutional standards of the Commission.

The consultation meeting, being held with the technical support of the Centre for Human Rights of the University of Pretoria, will bring together not only experts in the new tech industry but also human rights experts and practitioners from the wider human and peoples’ rights community as well as national and international representatives.

The main objectives for the consultation meeting are to:

• Present the draft study updated following the validation workshop for the wider stakeholders of the African Commission, apart from experts in this field; 
• Assess the extent to which the revised draft study updated following the expert validation workshop both incorporated the feedback from the validation workshop and meets the objectives of the study; 
• Receive further input on the study not only from experts in the industry but also from the wider stakeholders of the African Commission; 
• Discuss and identify how to take forward the issues and proposals that the study raises not only within the framework of the African Commission but also through legislative, institutional, and technical governance measures at national, continental, and international levels; and  
• Create wider public awareness about both the study currently underway and the work of the African Commission.

Following further updates of the draft study based on the input from the consultation meeting, the draft study will be made publicly available to enable the wider public to provide input.